Timing is everything

“I tell my wife how long a project will take—and she knows it will take three times longer.”- Dave Switzer

“I tell my wife, ‘Let me finish one project and enjoy it for at least a week before you add another to my list.’” – Brian Feltz

Happy family means happy renovation

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“During big projects, I turn off the saw one or two days of the week to reacquaint myself with the family. It may take a few days longer to finish, but I won’t have to sleep on the couch.” – Brian Barger

“During a recent project, I spent the early evening with my family, tucked my girls into bed, and worked from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. I lost some sleep, but this kept the family happy.” – Ben Kim

Patience! “My wife doesn’t work with tools every day, so she doesn’t know one saw from another. You have to be ready to explain things a lot.” – Mark T. Platte

“If mama isn’t happy, nobody is happy.” – Charlie Marken

Take advice from a wise contractor

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“Be sure you and your spouse are on the same page. Don’t even start the remodel if you’re not. Trust me—if you can’t decide on things up front when it’s calm, you certainly won’t be able to when the clock’s ticking, the workers are standing around, and the pressure’s really on!

“Know your budget. A fight over the remodeling budget was the biggest argument I ever saw, and there’s no way for the contractor to fix it.

“Make three lists: Must Have, Would Like If Possible, and Optional. Keep as much of List 1 as you can, because that’s why you’re remodeling. Keep 10 to 25 percent of List 2, depending on budget. Toss all of List 3.” – Paul Bianchini

Don’t forget to laugh

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“We decided to strip and refinish our kitchen cabinets during a heat wave with 90-plus degree temperatures and 90 percent humidity in a house with no air conditioning. As the sweat was pouring down, and the fumes were burning our eyes and skin, I looked over at my wife and said, ‘This is more fun than sex!’ We both laughed and got back to work.” – Ed Stawicki

“What doesn’t cause you to divorce doing DIY projects, just gives you great stories to laugh about for years after.” – Jordan Van Moorleghem